Romance At The Moonlight Inn
by Starshadow
Summary: A little exercise in fun and romance, taking place in a Slam Dunk! AU where I've matched Kogure and a few others with female OCs. If your squick is OOC/OC writing, this is definitely not for you.
1. Chapter 1

Credits: Slam Dunk was created by Takehiko Inoue. It is owned/licensed by IT Planning, Toei Animation, Geneon Entertainment (USA), Shueisha (manga).

Disclaimer: Slam Dunk characters borrowed for the love and joy of the writing, and not for acquiring profit. The members of the Haneda family and other members of Sachiko's posse are mine. As with all fics, while the goal is to stay as in character as possible, the author cries "mea maxima culpa" to any discrepancies that the discerning reader may find.

=-=

"Hai. Domo, oneechan."

Haneda Hikaru hung up the phone with a thoughtful expression in his deep brown eyes. A fit man in his early forties, he easily stood at six feet in his socks - which were on feet currently stretched out before him as he lounged on the living room sofa. He had just ended a call to his elder sister, in which they had discussed a matter that had been troubling Haneda for almost a fortnight.

"Anata?"

Haneda looke up at the sound of the sweet voice that addressed him from across the room. A grateful smile broke across his face at the sight of his wife, who approached him with a glass of something cool and refreshing to drink. Haneda Masako returned her husband's smile, though concern filled her dark amber eyes as she perched herself on the edge of the sofa.

"Is everything all right with Midori?" she asked, as her husband too her hand in his.

"Everything's fine," said Haneda. "Now that it's late summer, business at the inn is slowing down a little. She was asking us if we wanted to come up and keep her company for a few days."

"If only it were possible," sighed Masako, with a tender smile for her husband. "You work far too hard as it is."

Haneda squeezed his wife's hand affectionately, allowing himself to enjoy looking at her. Time and the demands of running a household had done little to mark the lovely features of the woman before him; a legacy of beauty that had been passed down to their daughter Sachiko.

Life had not always been easy for the Hanedas. Masako's family, descended from minor daimyo nobility, was proud above their station in life. When Masako had chosen to elope with Haneda shortly after they had graduated from university, many years passed before Masako's parents would consent to see her again, let alone accept Haneda and their daughter. A situation that could be credited to the meddling of various relatives -- creating a tempest that kept Masako in tears during the early years of their marriage.

But fortune had been kind to the newlyweds. If Masako's family refused to accept the situation, the Hanedas welcomed their newest member with open arms. Masako was sent to live with Haneda's older sister Midori, helping run the family ryokan in Hakone while Haneda hunted for a company that would accept a newly-graduated architect. It had been a year before he felt secure enough to send for his wife and baby daughter; from that moment on, the little family rarely spent a moment apart.

"Aaah...I don't mind the work. Once Sachi-chan places in a university, we'll be all right, and I can afford to ease off a little." Haneda smile reassuringly at his wife, bringing the back of her hand to his cheek so that her slender fingers brushed against it. His smile faded, however, at the remembrance of his pretty daughter, and his concern for her. "How is Sachi to you, these days?"

"She hasn't been the same since the basketball team came back from Hiroshima," sighed Masako, her voice full of motherly concern. "Her marks went down a little this grading period -- but nothing to worry about. But something's missing."

"I've noticed she doesn't talk much about her friends on the basketball team," nodded Haneda. "Kogure-kun, too, doesn't come by as often as he used to."

"I've seen that, too. Do you think they've quarreled?"

"Hard to say. Our Sachi was never the secretive sort, until now."

"I remember being somewhat secretive about certain things at that age," said Masako. A smile touched her lips as she recalled that she had been exactly Sachi's age when she met Haneda for the first time.

"I've been thinking that maybe a change of scenery would do her good...give her time alone to sort herself out." Haneda nodded at his wife's startled expression. "As it happens, when I told Midori we couldn't get away, she asked if I could send Sachi up there for what's left of the summer."

"All by herself?" asked Mrs. Haneda doubtfully, making her husband laugh softly.

"Sachi is quite the young woman now, my darling. She would have no problems at all, making the trip to Hakone all by herself, and Midori will be on hand to meet her. If Sachi agrees, it would certainly be the best thing all around. Our daughter gets time to think and breathe the fresh air of the country. Midori has company in the slow season. And we, my love, get some time alone."

Masako chuckled at the gleam in her husband's eye. "You're wicked, Haneda-san. You know I could never resist an offer like that. When will you tell Sachi?"

"Tonight, over dinner."

.../tbc


	2. Chapter 2

Over dinner that evening, Haneda told Sachi about the afternoon's phone conversation, as father and daughter consumed generous helpings of the yakisoba and vegetable tempura Masako cooked to perfection. Sachi listened with interest, her face lighting up at the prospect of visiting her aunt Midori. The old-fashioned ryokan, with its hot spring, was a source of many happy childhood memories; Sachi agreed with her father that a change of air would do her good.

"I do miss the ryokan," she said wistfully, missing the talking glance her parents sent one another across the table. "When does aunt Midori expect me to be there?"

"Today's Wednesday, right? I suppose you'll want to give your friends on the basketball team some notice -- maybe even have dinner with them before you go," said Haneda, taking note of the sudden withdrawal in Sachi's expression. "You mother and I were thinking of calling your aunt tonight, to tell her to expect you on Saturday morning."

"Saturday sounds fine, Father," smiled Sachi, and Haneda nodded, patting her on the cheek with loving fingers. He stood up, the signal for Sachi and her mother to begin clearing the table.

"I'll call your aunt now," he said, moving into the living room. Sachi brought the dishes to the sink, looking at her mother in surprise as Masako took the sponge from her hands.

"Ne, darling, I'll do the dishes tonight. It may be just a mother's overactive imagination, but I think you've had a long day at school." Masako slanted and inquiring look at her daughter, noting the faint shadows in the lovely golden eyes. "Much too long a day to discuss, by the look of it. You go ahead and get some rest."

"I love you, Ma," was the sudden, grateful answer, accompanied by a swift hug. Masako chuckled softly and pecked at the soft cheek laid against her own.

"I love you too, darling. Now, get along with you, and let me wash my dishes in peace."

Sachi laughed softly, making her way into the living room. Haneda was putting down the telephone as she passed him, a warm smile on his face.

"It's settled. Your aunt Midori is going to meet you at the station when you arrive in Hakone, and she says you can stay for as long as you want. She also says that if you get too lonely, fee free to invite your friends up there, too."

Again, that curious inward-turning in Sachi's expression at this new reference to the basketball team. Her reply was delivered in her usual light and gentle voice, however. "We'll see, Father. No doubt they'll have other plans to keep them busy. But it's nice of aunt Midori to make the offer."

Haneda nodded and kissed his daughter good-night as she made for her room. Once the door closed behind her, Sachi sagged wearily against it, a sudden hollowness invading her chest. Masako had not been too far wrong in saying that her daughter had returned from a long day at school. Although the encounter itself had been of short duration, time seemed to move on leaden feet, testing Sachi's control as few things ever had.

Dragging herself over to her dresser table, she studied her stricken reflection. A pretty face that was now too pale, with faint smudges under the eyes, at odds with the warm honey-gold that so recently sparkled with life and laughter. Now, away from the loving concern of parents and friends, they wore a haunted expression.

The reflection in the mirror swirled into a gray mist as she slipped back in time...

.../tbc


	3. Chapter 3

The end of the Ryonan-Shohoku game. The last game of the Inter-High elimination rounds, the one to decide which team would make it to the finals in Hiroshima.

It had been a hard-won, hard-fought battle, neither side giving an inch. Sachi had spent most of the game on the edge of her seat, surrounded by the other girls who made up what Taoka-sensei of Ryonan referred to as the "Shohoku Brigade". More than any other person except perhaps Akagi, Sachi knew just how much it would mean to Kogure for Shohoku to win, and her heart ached to see him unable to do more than lead the other benchwarmers in cheering the team forward.

When Mitsui collapsed, Sachi was on her feet in an instant, eyes darkening to amber as they widened in shock. The blood froze in her veins at the sight of Mitsui lying motionless on the court; and then suddenly the former MVP stirred, to the relief of everyone in the Shohoku bleachers.

"Player substitution, Shohoku! Number Five!"

Sachi caught her breath again, bringing her knuckles to her mouth in an effort to hold herself together. He would play at last, she thought, her heart rising -- Kogure Kiminobu, vice-captain of Shohoku, was finally off the bench, more than ready to show what he was made of.

"Kogure! You're free! TAKE THE SHOT!" roared Akagi in those fateful seconds, and time froze as the vice-captain did exactly that, his form and execution as perfect as Mitsui's from the three-point line. As the ball traced a perfect trajectory from Kogure's hands, Sachi's eyes fastened on his feet; widened as he landed squarely in the three-point zone; snapped up as the roar of the crowd told her that the shot had gone in -- a perfect shot, the ball never once touching the hoop as it swished through the net.

"I DID IT!"

As Kogure's triumphant cry echoed upwards, the Shohoku Brigade cast dignity to the wind, screaming in a way that made the Rukawa Guardians look like rank amateurs. Tearful hugs were exchanged, and not all of them between the girls -- Yohei found himself the surprised target of a bone-crushing hug from Satori.

Thanks to Kogure's basket, Shohoku took a miraculous lead in the closing seconds of the game, and never looked back until the final buzzer. At the end of the awarding ceremonies, Sachi had allowed Haruko to catch her hand and lead her on a made dash to the basketball court, the rest of the Brigade hard on their heels.

Once they burst onto the court, Sachi let herself be pulled along by an exuberant Haruko, her eyes never leaving Kogure's face. His brown eyes were sparkling, high color rising his fine cheekbones as he was thumped on the back and high-fived by the team. Suddenly, a lithe figure darted in among the tall players, throwing her arms around Kogure's neck and pulling his head down to kiss him full on the mouth.

A laughing cheer went up from the players as Kogure's arms wrapped around the enthusiastic girl, returning the kiss with every sign of enjoyment. Sachi stopped dead in her tracks, letting Haruko's hand slip through nerveless fingers as jealousy sliced a dagger into her heart. There was no mistaking the identity of the young lady who had launched herself at Kogure -- Shimada Kinume, the dark-haired, dark-eyed second-year beauty who had done her level best to attract Kogure's attention from the moment she had laid eyes on him.

Riding the wave of jealous feeling, Sachi struggled to breath normally, reminding herself that it simply would not do to try and rip the couple apart. For although Sachi had quickly known her own heart regarding the handsome vice-captain, Kogure had never shown anything more than the interest of a friendly neighbor in his behavior towards her.

Kinume, on the other hand, was a sparkling sort of creature, one of the most popular girls in school. A girl who never hesitated to go after anything or anyone she wanted, often with a great deal of success.

.../tbc


	4. Chapter 4

But it was Sachi, not Kinume, who shared the taxi with Kogure and was standing by his side when the team descended upon the hospital to deliver the joyous news to Anzai-sensei. It was Sachi whom Kogure had walked home on that magical night, after the team's celebration dinner, and swept into a sudden, breath-taking hug at her front gate.

"Thank you," he had whispered huskily into her hair. "Thank you so much, Sachi-chan. For believing in us. For believing in **me**..."

The team had found themselves heroes overnight, especially among the female half of the student population. Impossible now for Sachi to wave to Kogure from the door of the classroom he shared with Akagi -- what once was a clear line of sight, was blocked by a knot of worshipping females. Secure in the strength of Kogure's friendly regard, Sachi had been much amused, gently teasing him about his "fan club" during their daily journey home together, a pleasant ritual established since Kogure discovered that he and Sachi were to attend high school at Shohoku.

It was Sachi, not Kinume, whom Kogure had invited to watch the practice games of Shohoku against Josei High School. Over lunch with her parents, he had first directed the question to Mr. Haneda.

"Anou...sir..." he said, cinnamon eyes nervous behind his glasses. "We'll be playing three games against Josei while training there. With your permission, I'd like to invite Sachi to come over and watch us play."

"That, I trust, is a question that you have already asked my daughter, young man," came the smiling answer, as Masako shook her head in gentle reproof at the teasing in her husband's voice.

"Fa-THER!"

"Give him the answer he's waiting for, Sachi-chan," chuckled Haneda, nodding toward's Kogure's hopeful expression. "My permission will not be a problem."

Naturally, Sachi accepted the invitation. While visiting at Josei, she kept secret Sakuragi's intensive training under Anzai-sensei in preparation for the Inter-High games, with nothing but a mischeivous sparkle in her honey-gold eyes to betray her. At courtside, she led the benchwarmers in cheering the team with an enthusiasm that rivaled their own; gasped in fright as Kogure slid beneath the players' bench while keeping the ball in play for Shohoku; raised her eyebrows together with Ayako at Mari's sudden transformation into a Rukawa Guardian. Her laughter had echoed throughout the train carriage on the way home, sandwiched between Kogure and Mitsui, the latter teasing her mercilessly.

"Don't worry, Sachi-chan," Mitsui grinned, blue eyes laughing at his best friend. "I'll make sure Kogure calls you at least once while we're in Hiroshima. Just so you know he hasn't fallen for any of those girls from the other schools."

"Mitsui, stop being such a wretch!" she retorted, studiously avoiding looking at Kogure's face. "Look after him for me, if you must -- but don't you dare make him do anything he doesn't want to."

"Understood," came the firm reply, though Mitsui couldn't resist one last dig. "I don't see why anyone **wouldn't** want to call you, Sachi, for any reason."

"That's enough, Mitsui-kun," said Kogure gently, his arm curling about Sachi's shoulders, where it remained for the rest of the journey. Mitsui chuckled softly, considering his work well done -- especially since Kogure's arm managed to find its way back around Sachi's shoulders at regular intervals on their return to Shohoku. A gesture duly noted by all, and by common unspoken consent, left unremarked by the other members of the team.

A soft sigh escaped Sachi as she sat on the bed, fresh from a hot shower that had washed away tension and the traces of tears. Her eyes fell on a framed picture that occupied her night table, and picking it up, she touched the protective glass with light fingers. It was a candid photograph of herself with Kogure, taken shortly after the final practice game with Josei. Someone, probably Ayako, probably Mari's assistant, had called out to them just before snapping the picture -- which showed Kogure's arm resting easily on Sachi's shoulders, her arm circling his waist. Both of them were smiling and happy, and anyone looking at the picture could easily be forgiven for thinking them an established couple, so comfortable did they seem with each other.

Sachi took a deep breath, mentally chastising herself as the tears threatened to overflow yet again. It was time to leave the past, and face the present. A present where everything had changed.

.../tbc


	5. Chapter 5

At the same time Sachi was sitting down to dinner with her parents, the rest of the Shohoku team was gathered at the Akai Tomato. They had fetched Sakuragi from the hospital after one of his physical therapy sessions, and the gundan's presence added to the general air of cheerful content surrounding the team.

Except for Kogure, who remained quiet throughout, and now sat staring thoughtfully into his glass. Sakuragi's senses, sharpened by the enforced separations from the team's practice session, had been quick to take note of this - and the fact that Sachi had long been missing from any of the team's activities.

"Almost as long as Kinume's been hanging all over megane-kun," Sakuragi realized suddenly. Aloud, he said, while slurping noisily on his fourth ice cream float, "So, what happened with you and Sachi-chan, megane-kun? I kinda miss her around the gym, you know?"

"I wish I knew, Sakuragi-kun," sighed Kogure, remembering all the times he had seen Sachi since their return from Hiroshima, but always at a distance, or always surrounded by friends. "I haven't had two words with her since we came back from the Inter-High."

"Megane-kun, for a smart guy, you can be incredibly stupid at times," said Sakuragi, holding Kogure's glare with a level look.

"The do'ahou's right," said Rukawa, shocking the team speechless.

"Kamisama," muttered Ryota, in an aside to Ayako, his hand firmly grasping hers beneath the table. "The world is ending! Did I just hear Rukawa **agree** with Sakuragi-kun?"

"Ne, Sakuragi-kun, I suppose **you** could tell me why Sachi's been avoiding me?" The words were a grumpy challenge from the normally sweet-tempered vice-captain, and Sakuragi's trademark laughter echoed throughout the Akai Tomato, making heads turn toward their table from every corner of the soda fountain.

"Of **course** I can! Am I not a genius? Do I not know everything there is to know about women?" he guffawed, bringing the heads of the gundan swiveling around from the table beside the basketball team.

"Everything about being rejected by women," grinned Yohei, with a sly wink at Haruko's inquiring gaze at Sakuragi. "Busted by fifty in three years, that's a pretty impressive record, even for a tensai."

"Shut UP, Yohei!" roared Sakuragi, subsiding only as Haruko placed a soft hand on his arm and Akagi's fist thumped him on the head - though lightly, in deference to his sister and their surroundings. Laughter ensued, and even Kogure found himself chuckling reluctantly, as the rambunctions Sakuragi reined in his temper.

"BUT..." squawked Sakuragi once the laughter had died down. "That's **exactly** why I'm in the best position to give megane-kun advice!"

"Do'ahou," said Rukawa, but the flash in his blue eyes was that of rare humor, rather than the controlled fire he displayed on the court. "Get on with it, then."

"I would, if everyone would stop interrupting me," growled Sakuragi. Then, realizing the tables had gone silent, a sly expression took over the red-head's face. "Megane-kun, think. When was the last time you really talked to Sachi-chan?"

Kogure cast his mind backwards, trying to remember the last time he had had the pleasure of Sachi's company. After a long silence, he said softly, "I walked her to school the morning after we arrived from Josei. I was going to walk her home after the challenge match with the Shoyo and Ryonan players. But it didn't work out that way."

Understanding looks were exchanged across the tables. For almost a year, the basketball team had been wondering when Kogure would finally make things "official" between himself and Sachi. To a man, they missed her; exchanging pleasantries in the hallways was not the same as her presence at courtside.

It was just too bad that circumstances had upset Kogure's plans that day.

.../tbc


	6. Chapter 6

"Come *on*, Sachi, we're going to be late!" cried Takemasho Michio, bouncing impatiently at the bottom of the stairs. A slender, lively girl with dark hair falling half-way down her back in unruly waves, she was eager to get to the gym, where, if rumor was correct, the Shohoku High School basketball club would have the game of a lifetime against a combined Shoyo-Ryonan team before proceeding to the Inter-High tournament. Michio's eyes were sparkling with excitement as her friend proceeded somewhat more sedately down the stairs.

"Maa, maa, Michio-chan!" laughed Sachi, as the younger girl seized her hand and half-dragged her from off the bottom step of the stairs. "The opposing team isn't even complete yet!"

"All the better for us to hurry," gasped Michio, every line of her body straining for the gym. An artist by temperament and inclination, Michio was also a born runner. Sachi could hardly recall her friend ever walking when running would do; a habit that no number of teachers' frowns could ever moderate. As Sachi broke into a trot beside Michio, the younger girl added, "If we don't, the Rukawa Guardians won't leave us an inch of breathing room."

"There is that," said Sachi, feeling with a twinge of dismay as her barrettes slid down her smoothly combed hair with each jolt of her foot on the cement path leading to the gym. "Those girls are too excitable by half."

"No more than you are when cheering on your darling Kogure Kiminobu," teased Michio, laughing as color flooded Sachi's face. "Or myself when Sakuragi-kun gets his act together."

Sachi grinned, feeling the heat subside from her face. "Anou. . .let's set the record straight, Michio-san. He is not **my** Kogure."

"Not yet, anyway," came the irrepressible retort, and fortunately for Michio, Sachi's reply was cut off by their arrival at the gym, and the intense commotion emanating from the open doors. Michio skidded to a stop just inside the doors and squealed, grabbing onto Sachi's arm. "Oh, OH!! LOOK!!"

It was certainly a sight to behold -- Shohoku's starting line-up in fighting trim, spirits high from their victory at the Inter-High eliminations and hard, driving practice afterwards. Akagi, the calm and powerful captain -- Kogure, the intense and steady vice-captain -- Mitsui, the prodigal ace returned -- Ryota, the lightning-fast forward -- cool, icy Rukawa -- and feisty Sakuragi, head and shoulders above nearly everyone else, easy to mark with his shorn red hair.

Both girls literally bounced on their feet, barely able to keep their emotions in check. How wonderful all of them looked -- so hard to believe that these were the same boys at loggerheads with each other for practically every day they had been a team. Somehow, Anzai-sensei's influence had kept them together and moulded them into a team any high school could be proud of.

Throughout that summer, Michio and Sachi tracked Sakuragi's special training under Anzai-sensei, cheering on the gundan's efforts in providing assistance and moral support. On the wonderful day Sakuragi made his 20,000th basketball shot, they had been present, cheering with an enthusiasm to gratify any man's heart. Knowing this, the girls could barely contain their excitement at the thought of Sakuragi being able to make a good showing against a combined Shoyo-Ryonan aces team. Surely all his hard work would soon be rewarded!

"Wai, Sachi-sempai, Michio-sempai!" cried Haruko happily, catching sight of them from the corner of her eye, and turning to greet them with a delighted smile. "Anou, do you think theyll have a chance?"

"Haruko-chan!" came the hot exclamation from Michio, dark eyes flashing in defense of the team. "After all that they did in the elimination games, you still wonder? With Hanamichi playing today, too!"

"Yes, youre right," nodded Haruko, her eyes swinging back to the court, where the Shoyo and Ryonan players were getting into uniform. "Its just that..."

"That its Sakuragi's first time with the team since they got back from Josei, and we all want him to do well," finished Michio firmly, swatting Haruko playfully on her shoulder. "As of course he will."

Sachi's eyes swept over the gym. Already marked were the calm presence of Anzai-sensei, Ayako beside him with her ever-present stopwatch and clipboard. Loud cries from above testified to the presence of the Rukawa Guardians -- the brash, noisy freshmen who adored the aloof, ice-cold court sensation known as Rukawa Kaede. Sachi wrinkled her nose and brought her eyes back down to the court, catching Sakuragi's sparkling eyes head-on.

"Yo, Sachi-sempai! Michio-chan!" he called out, loping easily to meet them. "Come to see us win, have you?"

"Of course we have," came the stout reply from Michio. "After all we did for you this past summer, you didnt think we'd leave you now - Sakuragi no tensai!"

Sakuragi's trademark laughter echoed throughout the gym, drawing the attention of his teammates. They waved at the newcomers, and Sachi nodded to a point behind Sakuragi.

"Hey, the vice-captain wants you," she said, to Hanamichi. Taking Michio's arm, Sachi then nodded in the general direction of the balcony. We'll be up there, where we can drown out the screaming fangirls. . .

"Hai, that we will!" cried Michio, and to the accompaniment of Hanamichi's laughter, the two girls sped up towards the stairs with a grace that had the visiting players nodding to themselves in silent agreement about the prettiness of Shohoku's girls.

.../tbc


	7. Chapter 7

By the end of the Shoyo-Ryonan challenge match, the Shohoku players were flushed with victory. It was no small thing, to have won a game against a team composed of the best players in the prefecture : Fujima, Hanagata and Hasegawa from Shoyo; Uozumi, Sendo, Ikegami and Fukuda from Ryonan. Truly a formidable team.

But they won, despite the loss of an early lead and various blunders occasioned by Sakuragi's desperate need to show how he could contribute to the team after his special clinic with Anzai-sensei. Shohoku had played with the combination of technical skill and determination that had brought them through the elimination rounds despite near-impossible odds. Sakuragi, at last, was able to prove his worth at the end, taking a high pass from Miyagi and converting it, after a thrilling fast break down the court, into the winning slam dunk.

Kogure's face lit up with a secret smile as he recalled one particular play early in the game. Mitsui had converted a pass into a three-point shot, and heads turned at the sound of Sachi's clear soprano carrying the length of the gym, cheering the one member of Shohoku who was her obvious favorite.

"That's the way, Mitsui-kun! Ace of Shohoku!"

In his mind's eye, Kogure could see Sachi leaning at a perilous angle over the railing of the spectators' gallery, her face shining with delight at the perfect execution of the play. On the court, her cheer was acknowledged with a salute from Mitsui, and grins from the other players, before their attention returned to the game.

While Shohoku proceeded to set their sights on winning the challenge match, a confrontation in the gallery began to unfold, whose results would affect the friendship between Kogure and Sachi in unforseen ways. As she settled down, Sachi and Michio became aware of hot glares coming from the direction of the Rukawa Guardians. Sachi turned cool eyes towards them, and raised an eyebrow in what Mitsui called her "daimyo no hime" expression -- the look of a princess of the warlord class.

"Ace of Shohoku?" spat the ringleader of the Guardians. "He doesn't deserve that title anymore! Rukawa is the real ace, and everyone knows it!"

"Mitsui Hisashi was a star player before you ever knew what basketball was," came the deceptively calm retort. "He is sempai to Rukawa-kun, and if your idol can treat him with respect, so can you."

"That gangster isn't worthy of respect."

Sachi's eyes sparkled dangerously in defense of Kogure's best friend. "You will refer to Mitsui with respect, or answer to me. I will not have freshmen insult their sempai in my hearing."

"Make me."

Indrawn breaths were heard in the immediate vicinity of the girls, as the stubborn leader of the Rukawa Guardians held her ground, malice sparkling in her dark eyes. The two girls beside her flinched as they saw what their leader had not -- a sudden feral gleam in the depths of golden eyes -- and as Sachi slowly stood, they knew they were in big, big trouble. Sachi's posture was that of a samurai ready for battle; back straight, feet planted firmly on the ground, arms relaxed. All that was needed was a weapon in her hands to complete the picture.

"Give the lady a katana," murmured Michio, with a cat-like smile, as Sachi assessed the other girl. "You're in for it now, missy."

"Meet me at the karate dojo after the game," said Sachi softly. "We're going to settle this with a little kendo match. No holds barred."

Too late, the leader of the Rukawa Guardians realized what she had done, and blanched. But there was no way for her to back out of the challenge with any semblance of honor, and so she could only nod her assent. Once the question had been settled, both parties returned their attention to the court, where Ryonan's Sendo Akira had now made his appearance.

At the end of the game, screams of delight erupted from the spectators' gallery. The Rukawa Guardians, of course, were the chief contributors. Kogure, after joining in the general congratulations for Sakuragi, stepped back from the swarm of people around the red-head, and scanned the spectators' gallery with an anxious eye, looking for Sachi.

Tonight was their last night in Kanagawa. There would be laughter and celebration before the trip to Hiroshima and their destiny at the Inter-High. Kogure was determined that before the team left, Sachi would know that occupied first place in his heart, and in his plans for the future.

.../tbc


	8. Chapter 8

With the game over, people began making their way to the stairs leading down to the court. Sachi caught Kogure's anxious gaze and smiled cheerfully back at him, lifting her hand in a wave of acknowledgement.

At her happy sigh, Michio said mischievously, "Ahh, what it is to be in love, sempai!"

A slight emphasis on the last word, coupled with a dark glance at the Rukawa Guardians, made Sachi slant a glance at the girl whom she had challenged earlier. Eyes of gold darkened to rich amber as she stared at her would-be opponent.

"Do me a favor, Michio-chan? Ask Aota if I may have the use of the dojo for an hour or so, would you?"

"Sure thing," said Michio, joining the flow of people moving towards the stairs.

Sachi nodded at the leader of the Guardians. "So, then? The dojo in about fifteen minutes? Will that be enough time?"

The leader of the Rukawa Guardians nodded back, watching silently as Sachi turned and briskly stepped towards the stairs. As she reached the top step, she paused, a smile crossing her face at the sight of the players beginning to mingle with each other in friendly banter. She put one foot forward to begin her descent, when suddenly hands were on her back, pushing her, catching her off-guard.

At the bottom of the stairs, the heads of the Shoyo players snapped up at Sachi's squeak of alarm - just in time to see her lose her footing. Hasegawa and Hanagata were seconds ahead of Fujima in heading up the stairs -- it was Hasegawa's comforting bulk that stopped Sachi's descent as she slid into his outstretched arms.

"Are you all right, Sachi-san?"

Pale and shaken, Sachi could only nod mutely, gripping Hasegawa's arms with cold fingers, seemingly frozen in a sitting position. As Hasegawa crouched beside her, Hanagata's concerned face peered down at her, then sighted up the stairs to a gallery empty of people. Ducking his head, he noted a trio of scantily-clad girls hurriedly making their way to the stairs at the opposite end of the gallery.

"Can you stand, Sachi-san?" came the gentle question from Fujima, exchanging a look with his vice-captain, who immediately descended the stairs on a hunt for Ayako. "Would you like to try?"

The Shoyo captain held out his hand to Sachi, and after a moment's hesitation, she took it, exhaling sharply as his warm fingers closed about hers. Fujima nodded to Hasegawa, and together they raised Sachi carefully to a standing position. Sachi winced as pain shot up her right ankle, but gamely released her hold on the two boys.

Pain lanced through her leg as she tried to stand by herself, and she wobbled, causing Hasegawa to catch her in his arms to prevent her from collapsing onto Fujima on the lower step. Sachi lifted up her face to his with a grateful smile of appreciation - just as Kogure turned his head from a conversation with Ikegami and Mitsui.

The sight of Sachi in another boy's arms jolted Kogure as nothing else had done in the three years they had been neighbors and friends together. To see her slender figure leaning trustingly against Hasegawa, the grateful smile directed at the Shoyo player, brought out a wave of possessive jealousy that shocked Kogure with its intensity. Mainly due to the knowledge that there was nothing to bind Sachi to him, in spite of their long-time friendship.

Kogure had first met Sachi while accompanying his mother in the duty welcome given to all newcomers to their street. Upon discovering that Sachi, a freshman like himself, would be attending Shohoku High School, Kogure had offered to see her home after their first day of classes. Late in their second year, Kogure had begun to see Sachi as more than just a friend; but her casual manner, and their busy academic lives, had kept him from making any declaration of deeper feelings.

Now, just when he had decided to tell Sachi how much he had come to care for her, she was in the arms of another. Suddenly, Mitsui's puzzled voice broke into Kogure's morose thoughts.

"Ne, Kogure. What's happened to Sachi-chan?"

.../tbc


	9. Chapter 9

Kogure's gaze sharpened behind his glasses, and he took a step forward, berating himself as his vision widened to take in the details he had missed before. Fujima bending over Sachi's foot as she sat on the steps. The skirt of her school uniform riding up over one thigh, revealing an ugly bruise, already turning a rich shade of purple. The white knuckles that gripped at Hasegawa's comforting hand, the pale face that spoke of intense, sharp pain.

At that point, Sachi's glance lifted to Kogure's cinnamon eyes, and the expression there made him give vent to a muttered curse, spurring him towards her side. He was going to get to the bottom of things, somehow.

"Waaaiiiii, Kogure-sempai!" cried a familiar voice, as he began to cross the court toward the knot of people surrounding Sachi. Seconds later, the lithe form of Shimada Kinume was latched onto his arm, slowing him to a stop, blocking his way.

"Kinume-san," came the short reply, frustration barely concealed in Kogure's expression as he tried to politely disengage himself from Kinume's hold. Through the corner of his eye, he could see Hanagata approaching his teammates with Ayako in tow. The Shohoku team manager carried her first-aid kit with a worried frown at Sachi's predicament.

"Ohhhh, but you played so wonderfully, Kogure-sempai!" warbled Kinume, refusing to relinquish Kogure's arm despite his now less than gentle attempt to pull it away from her. "I wish I could go to Hiroshima and watch all the games. I'm sure you would be fantastic!"

"Thank you, Kinume, but I really can't stay..." muttered Kogure, turning his head to get a better view of what was going on at the stairs. Ayako had slipped off Sachi's shoe and sock in order to spray anesthesia on the swelling; though he could not distinguish the words clearly, he could hear her voice issuing instructions that had the Shoyo boys nodding in complete understanding.

"Ne, Kogure-sempai," pouted Kinume, following his gaze to where Hanagata and Hasegawa shared the duty of carrying Sachi down the stairs and out the door of the gym. "You needn't worry about Sachi-sempai -- she seems to be in perfectly good hands, don't you think?"

"I'd feel better knowing exactly how she is," sighed Kogure, returning his attention to Kinume, whose expression grew rebellious. "I'm sorry, Kinume, but really..."

"It's not fair," she hissed, pulling at his arm in an effort to direct him towards a group of waiting people. "I promised my friends that they'd have a chance to say hello to our vice-captain. Don't make me break my word, Kogure-sempai."

Kogure looked longingly at the door of the gym, then back down at Kinume, whose fingers were digging almost painfully into his arm. His gaze then slid to the waiting friends, and he groaned inwardly. Kogure had never warmed to Kinume's crowd, despite all the times she had tried to draw him into it. He also recognized that the last thing the team needed was a bunch of spite-filled rumors floating about while they were in Hiroshima -- he had seen Kinume's handiwork before.

"Well? Shall I go tell my friends that you're too much of a snob, now that Shohoku has qualified for the Inter-High?"

"All right, you win, Kinume," came the soft reply, and it was well that the freshman utterly failed to see the sudden uncharacteristic hardness in the cinnamon eyes. "You win, for now."

.../tbc


	10. Chapter 10

"It's definitely a sprain," said the doctor to Sachi, gently probing the angry swelling that threatened to engulf her foot. "We'll tape it up, and you should keep off the ankle for at least a week or so."

"Thank you, Doctor," sniffled Sachi, clutching at Ayako's hand while the Shoyo boys stood off to one side of the clinic. Golden eyes lifted in gratitude to the trio. "Thank you, gentlemen. I'll be all right now."

Fujima shook his head. "Sachi-san, you heard the doctor. We'll make sure you get home properly."

"No, there's no need, really, Fujima-kun," protested Sachi, wincing as the doctor proceeded to bandage her foot with careful efficiency. "You've all been so kind, and Aya-chan can surely round up some of the team.."

"We're already here," insisted Fujima, smiling despite himself at the stubborn set to Sachi's chin. "Not that you could stop us anyway, in your condition. Besides, we all know there's a certain point guard waiting for Ayako-san outside the school gate..."

"Fujima-kun!" cried Ayako in smiling protest, but her blushes gave her away.

"Of course! How could I forget!" cried Sachi, as Ayako cuddled her affactionately. "Fujima-kun's right, Aya-chan. You go on ahead, it won't do to keep Miyagi-kun waiting."

"Everything will be fine," said Ayako reassuringly, her words carrying a double significance at Sachi's woeful expression. "I'll tell...the team...that you're all right. I'm sure everyone will be relieved to hear that it was just a minor accident."

Ayako lifted her gaze to the Shoyo players at the word "accident", and the sudden gleam in Hanagata's eyes was enough to tell her the truth of the matter, without words. Her mouth thinned for a moment, and then she pressed a small kiss to Sachi's forehead as the doctor stepped back to survey his work.

"Thank you so much, guys," Ayako said cheerfully, giving Sachi's hand a squeeze. "We really do appreciate this."

"Sachi-san is in perfectly safe hands," grinned Fujima, making the girls smile. "Now go on, or Miyagi's going to be sending a search party to Shoyo any minute now."

Sachi's giggles joined with Ayako's laugh as the Shohoku team manager left the clinic with a bouncy stride. Turning to Fujima, she asked, "Has anyone ever told you how bossy you can be, Fujima-kun?"

At the innocent question, Hasegawa burst into laughter. "You're probably the first one to say the words out loud to his face, Sachi-san."

Fujima's retort was forestalled by the doctor handing over crutches to Sachi, along with a prescription. "It's as well that you have these boys with you, young lady - you're going to be pretty uncomfortable in the next hour or so. Better to stop by a drugstore before you go home. And go straight home, is that understood?"

"Yes, Doctor. Thank you," murmured Sachi, as the towering Shoyo players moved to either side of her, steadying her as she adjusted herself to using the crutches. The transition was accomplished with very little discomfort, and soon the foursome were on their way.

.../tbc


	11. Chapter 11

The Shoyo players were as good as their word. Fujima went ahead to find a drugstore that could fill Sachi's prescription, instructing Hasegawa and Hanagata to accompany Sachi to the train station, where would catch up with them. The trip was accomplished with few words, both boys understanding Sachi's unspoken desire for quiet. Instead, the boys talked about the game just past, going over what they could have done better. By the time Fujima joined them on the platform, it was to find Sachi listening with more than polite interest to a lively discussion of the various schools that Shohoku would encounter during the Inter-High.

Upon reaching the Haneda house, Sachi shyly invited them inside to meet her parents.

"I'm sure they would want to thank you for taking such good care of me," she said, with a smile that won over their hesitation. Mrs. Haneda, as expected, displayed a great deal of initial alarm at the sight of her daughter on crutches; as Hasegawa surrendered Sachi to her mother, Hanagata related the full story to Mr. Haneda, whose eyes glinted darkly at one point of the narrative.

"I'm glad you were there," he said, with a friendly smile at the boys, turning from the sight of Sachi on the sofa, earnestly assuring her mother that all was well. "Thank you for looking after our girl."

"We were in the right place at the right time, sir," was the courteous reply from Hasegawa. The boys traded looks, and began to rise from their seats, but Mrs. Haneda's voice stopped them.

"Oh, please, you're not going yet? Stay for dinner, I can't let you go back to your mothers without putting something in your stomachs. Growing boys need their strength," she said firmly, to the accompaniment of Sachi's laughter.

"Mama, they surely don't need the extra height!" she giggled, golden eyes sparkling with mischief, enjoying the rare sight of the confident basketball players with pink cheeks. Then, with a coaxing tone, she said, "Please, do stay for dinner. It would be a pleasure to have you."

"I'd advise you to throw the game over to the women," grinned Mr. Haneda. "There's no refusing them when they're in that mood."

So the Shoyo players stayed for a simple, hearty dinner, on Fujima's condition that Mrs. Haneda allow them to help with its preparation and the cleaning up. The offer was accepted with a smile, and the boys, under her direction, proved themselves to be quite handy in the little kitchen. As soon as the last of the dishes were kept, the boys were quick to notice the weariness stealing over Sachi's face, and were prompt in taking their leave.

"Thank you, Mrs. Haneda," said Fujima. "It was a wonderful dinner."

"Delicious," nodded Hanagata, to which Hasegawa voiced his agreement.

"I enjoyed the meal very much," he said quietly, adding, "Rest well, Sachi-chan. Remember the doctor's orders."

"Oh, I will, I will, Hasegawa-kun," smiled Sachi, watching fondly as her father showed them down to the door. A small yawn suddenly overtook her, and instantly Mrs. Haneda was shooing her daughter to bed.

"No protests. If your beloved Shohoku team calls tonight, they'll just have to wait till the morning, or until they get back from Hiroshima to talk to you." The maternal decree was spoken with a firmness that Sachi meekly obeyed; it had been a long and eventful day, and bed seemed like a very good idea.

No sooner did Sachi's head hit the pillow than she was asleep. So deep was her slumber that she never heard the telephone ring, not five minutes after Mrs. Haneda clicked out the light in her daughter's bedroom. Nor did she hear the deep voice of her father taking the call.

"Kogure-kun...I'm sorry, but she's asleep now. A sprain, according to the doctors, nothing too serious. One week off her foot should do the trick. How fortunate that the Shoyo boys were standing there...they brought her home, too. Saa...thank you for calling. Good luck at the Inter-High. I'm sure Sachi will be on the platform to welcome you home."

.../tbc


	12. Chapter 12

Sakuragi watched the expressions crossing Kogure's face as the vice-captain grew lost in thought. The Inter-High Games has tested all of them to their limits, physically and emotionally - none more so than the hotly contested game with Sannoh High School. They had given their all for that one game - and had Anzai-sensei not physically restrained Sakuragi, the red-headed player would not have considered the end of his basketball career too high a price to pay for the victory.

Kainan swept the Inter-High that year, of course. The battle-weary, injury-laden Shohoku team knew that their chances of winning, even at full strength, were slim. After the Sannoh game, the odds dropped to non-existent. But they had to try, they had come so far and through so much to surrender without giving the opposing team a fierce fight.

They returned without the championship. But they had won the respect of the student body and the grudging admiration of the faculty, and the team considered it a fair enough trade. Slowly, life returned to normal; though subtle changes were working their way through the fabric of the team.

Miyagi and Ayako had grown closer, and there was a new confidence in the point guard's stance whenver he was around her. Sakuragi had started the slow, painful process of physical therapy, bullying the doctors into letting him stay an outpatient for as long as possible. Mitsui and Rukawa had developed a practice routine that suited them well; while Mitsui was willing to acknowledge Rukawa as Shohoku's resident ace, he was not going to hand the title over to the younger boy without teaching him some of the finer points of the game. Akagi was busy studying for university; Haruko had placed herself under the tutelage of Ayako in preparation for her duties as assistant team manager.

As for Kogure...true to his word, he had retired from the basketball team in order to prepare for the gruelling university entrance exams. Old habits were hard to break, however, and he continued to visit the team's practice sessions, watching from the sidelines and always ready with words of encouragement for them. If anyone noticed that he arrived and left the gym minus the company of Sachi, they kept their speculations to themselves.

The team knew, of course, that Sachi, like the other third-year "family" members, was busy preparing for entrance exams. It was only logical that she would have little time to spend watching the team practice. They also knew that her greeting for Kogure upon their return from Hiroshima might have been more enthusiastic, if not for the presence of Kinume in the welcoming party. Having lived in each other's pockets for the better part of two years, they had drawn their own conclusions, and heaved a collective sigh on their former vice-captain's behalf.

Kinume's presence at courtside was invariably greeted with a mixture of dismay and antagonism, primarily because of the proprietary attitude she had adopted over Kogure. In addition, she managed to get on the wrong side of everyone who mattered : Mitsui, Rukawa, Miyagi and Ayako. Even soft-spoken Kentaro could not get out of her way fast enough, especially after she berated him soundly in the the presence of her friends. His offence? He had landed four-square on her foot during a particularly lively practice session.

It had been Kinume's own fault for standing too close to the sidelines, and everyone present that day could not help contrasting her shrill scolding with Sachi's silent look of reproach after a wild pass by Yasuda had slammed four-square into her back. What a great pity, they all agreed in the locker room, that events kept conspiring to keep Kogure and Sachi from having a proper talk to settle things between themselves; especially with graduation nearing and the seniors heading in separate directions.

It was a situation, reflected Sakuragi, that needed the skill of a tensai in its solution. Aloud, he said, "You should have gone and camped on Sachi-sempai's doorstep the minute you hung up the phone on Mr. Haneda. That way, at least, you would have had a chance to talk to her before we all left for Hiroshima."

.../tbc


	13. Chapter 13

A general commotion of groans, sweatdrops, sighs and facepalms greeted this statement. Sakuragi held his ground, leaning back in such a way that his arm fell casually on the back of Haruko's chair.

"Well, it's not like Haneda-san would have stormed out with a shotgun in hand," he pointed out in a reasonable tone, his eyes dancing in amusement at Kogure's startled expression. "With Mrs. Haneda also favoring Megane-kun, I'm sure something could have been worked out. Plus, Sachi doesn't have any older brothers playing watchdog."

"What was that, Sakuragi?" growled Akagi, and two tables held a collective breath, waiting for the outburst that normally followed one of the red-head's ill-considered statements. But Sakuragi and Haruko had seen what the others had not -- the flash of rare humor beneath the mock glare of Shohoku's former basketball team captain -- and while Haruko merely smiled at her adored older brother, Sakuragi attempted to look properly meek, while utterly failing to do so.

For his part, Kogure merely sighed, a faraway look in his cinnamon gaze. His voice was filled with regret as he said, "It's all water under the bridge, Sakuragi-kun. Sachi has dodged and avoided me in almost every way possible...and after what happened this afternoon, I doubt she'd even want to see my shadow any more."

"Awww, come on, Kogure! You and Sachi have been friends since we were in first year together!" cried Mitsui. "I can't believe she would turn away from you, of all people. Not when she never turned away from me, all that time I was acting like an idiot."

"Looks like he's not the Kogure I used to know," said Sakuragi with a little snort. "Megane-kun always knew how to get what he wanted. Good grades. Good friends," -- this with a pointed glance at Mitsui -- "the winning shot in a basketball game. It's a sad day when the vice-captain of an Inter-High team allows himself to be pushed around by a cheap little brat."

The Akai Tomato erupted into a chorus of protests and a roar from Akagi, who swatted Sakuragi on the back of his head, just like in the old days when they would practice together. Kogure's face flushed dangerously, and his cinnamon eyes glittered with anger as he slammed his hand on the table, bringing silence down upon the group.

"Easy for you to talk," he said, breathing hard, reminding everyone of the fateful summer day when he had confronted Mitsui on the basketball court. "You're not the one Sachi caught kissing Kinume."

The silence grew deafening as the team tried to process this bombshell. Ayako slanted a look at Ryota, her face mirroring the reaction to a mental picture that made her gasp and squeeze his hand. Startled, the new captain of Shohoku's basketball team swung his dark gaze to meet hers -- and on seeing her expression, returned the pressure on his hand, along with a gentle smile of reassurance that warmed her heart.

Mitsui's expression, however, was thunderous, as only a person's look could be when faced with a situation of extreme exasperation occasioned by his best friend. Kogure returned the stare with darkening eyes, facing the accusation in the cobalt depths without flinching.

"That explains a whole lot," said Mitsui softly. "No wonder Sachi's been dodging you."

"But circumstances have been so bad for them whenever they want to talk," said Yasuda, trying to make some sense of it all. "If it isn't one thing, it's another."

"Still, I'd give a lot to know just how you managed to get into such a pickle, Kogure," growled Mitsui. "And it had better be good, or else..."

"You'll get Tetsuo to mop up the court with my broken body," snapped Kogure, which statement sent a scare into the entire team until, to everyone's surprise, Mitsui laughed and clapped his best friend's back.

"Tetsuo would have to get past the Sakuragi-gundan first," he said, nodding at the red-head's constant companions. "Now out with it, Kogure. Sakuragi's right. It's not like you to let yourself get caught in a trap -- especially by that little twit."

Kogure sighed and relaxed against the friendly choke-hold Mitsui fastened around his neck, weariness written in every line of his body. "It's not as though I wanted to kiss Kinume, you know..."

.../tbc


End file.
